Eccles Visiting Scholar 
SUU and A.P.E.X. Events is most grateful for the support from The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation which made this event possible.
Dr. Temple Grandin is well known to many for her trailblazing work as a spokesperson for people with autism and her lifelong work with animal behavior. Dr. Grandin has been with Colorado State University (CSU) for over 25 years. Grandin has been referred to as the "most famous person working at CSU" by her peers.
Her life’s work has been to understand her own autistic mind, and to share that knowledge with the world, aiding in the treatment of individuals with the condition. Her understanding of the human mind has aided her in her work with animal behavior, and she is one of the most respected experts in both autism and animal behavior in the world.
Reflection
On February 10, SUU’s APEX speaker was Dr. Temple Grandin, this year's Eccles Visiting Scholar, whose discussion included a variety of topics, including the issue of getting label locked, education and socialization.
All the seats were filled in the Hunter Conference Center and some even had to sit in the hallway in order to listen to the lecture. Grandin was introduced by Daneka Souberbielle who said that “our APEX guest is one of our most anticipated speakers of the year.”
Grandin declared that today, “too many parents, teachers, and therapists are locked in the label. Where a label will often help an older person, it will explain why they’re having social problems.”
Grandin said, “the first step for the kids that are different to get into a good career is exposure.”
A big mistake that’s been made — Grandin expressed, — is that “we’ve taken all the hands-on classes out of schools. Worst thing we ever did because they were all opportunities for kids to get exposed to art, sewing, woodworking, etc. It’s important for kids to get exposed to a lot of things.”
Continuing with that thought, Grandin explained that "a Nobel Prize winner is 50% more likely to have an arts and craft hobby compared to some other scientist. That’s another reason for keeping all of these creative classes."
"One of the problems I had is a slow processor speed. This is why some of the social stuff is hard because I don’t process quick enough. Also I cannot remember long strings of verbal information. I have to write it down in a checklist. Any task that involves a sequence, I must write it down in a checklist."
With students and teachers in the audience, Grandin made sure everyone knew that "mentors are so important. People who helped me the most were not the trained therapists."
Inspiring those different in the audience, Grandin explained that "the right stuff rides the rockets, but geeks, the misfits, and the kids that are different build the stuff."
After her slide show presentation, Grandin expressed that "there’s all kinds of great free stuff online that you can be exposed to. Computers are like Dorothy’s red slippers, when she didn’t know how to use them."
